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That's really all you should expect on here: an overview. Beyond that there are site specifics, complexities and liabilities, and it is time to pay a local expert.

The size for the house seems to be open to interpretation as to how you measure a house ! The architect has it at 365m2 the builder has it at 420m2 , when I questioned this the architect said he did not include the integral garage and only counts the internal floor area left after all the walls are in , the builder counts the total floor area to get his m2 number ,I did mention to the builder that the architect does not include the garage in his m2 and his reply was ,well they ain't f@!*ing free. The only reason for not using TF was cost , they worked out so much more expensive than brick and block on our build, May not be the case for everyone or you.

I’ve already configured all my relay outputs and assigned them to rooms. next step will be to manually add the tree devices and create some basic lighting controllers so that when I plug the cables things will, hopefully, all work!

Awesome news. Despite not having a programming background, I found the programming side very satisfying.

The Screwfix blurb is wrong. The 15mm versions use JG Speedfit connections and the Reliance website states these versions are "suitable for use with Speedfit PEX and polybutylene barrier pipe [inserts required] and copper pipe" - see https://www.reliancevalves.com/gb/en/products/flow-control/plumbing-strainers-flow-regulators-manifolds/potable-water-manifolds

I received some quotes before Christmas from 3 frame suppliers, including MBC, and the average was £800 per m2. The advice I got is that these were initial quotes and when you got into the detail of adding the necessary structural elements (e.g. the odd steel) it would nudge up a bit.

You can get a price for the square area of the walls themselves, just not the square area of the building footprint.

We do down here. Cornwall has pioneered DRH generation, still doing it. The local swimming pool was meant to be geothermally heated, £1.3m later they put a heat pump in. But that is not really relevant to domestic heating. As others have said, GSHPs are either ASHPs, taking advantage of local weather, or WSHPs, relying on deeper ground water. @ronaldgibbons Your floor insulation is going to be important. Most building companies are happy to say their designs meet building regulations. Not that expensive to exceed them where it really matters.

€514/M2 plus vat in 2019 for a 2 story completely rectangular house without no big windows and a hipped roof. This was the twin wall frame and raft. Probably completely meaningless 5 years later however.

In a new build you should just fit hard wired, 3 core & earth between all of them. RF linking is really for retro fit to save taking up loads of floor boards to run interlink cables. Plenty of cheap Aico stuff on ebay but watch "replace by" dates.

Loxone Config up and running, mini server and extensions powered by the PSUB and a couple tree devices visible as well. I would say things are progressing nicely now! it's very exciting. next step is to connect up all the Cat6A and T&E cables to the relevant terminal blocks and then it's just programming it all. 😄

@SBMS It is difficult to do an apples and oranges comparison here. The fact that a lot of members including me chose the MBC route means that it can be an excellent price for a given set of circumstances. The best thing is to talk to the vendor direct In my case I felt that MBC offered a pretty well rounded passive offering: custom slab and TF design including fabrication and onsite construction. The MBC design and the construction guys onsite really understood the implications and detail of building to passive class. You can be confident in getting a complete airtight (say to 0.4 ACH) and well insulated build -- all in one package. Yes, you could multi-source and reduce the nominal costs, but only then to find that you need to take on a lot more detailing yourself to hit the as-designed spec. As point of reference we have a natural hand-dressed stone skin on our house (to comply with Local Planning requirements); the materials and labour for this cost us as much as our MBC bill.

My mistake I think - having re-read the guidance: The sixth type of qualifying building is constructed when all of the following apply: 1. a garage is built, or a building is converted into a garage 2. the building is constructed or converted at the same time as, and intended to be occupied with a building ‘designed as a dwelling or number of dwellings’ ― read paragraph 14.2 I missed the "all of the following". It's definitely not being built at the same time as any buildings designed as a dwelling. Perhaps the incoming Labour government will lower the VAT rate, or, God forbid, raise it!

I think you are. Research now will save lots of time and money later.

Nope, they pulled the more complex versions from sale. I looked at the Copperindustries MaxiPod, but ended up getting Worldheat to make me a TS with similar characterisitics- manual fill, big coils, direct connections for a stove.

I disagree . If you are capable of 1. setting up the laser, in which case you are capable of the traditional methods too and 2. operating the digger on arm only would be a bit wierd. 3. Line if sight at all times. If it controlled the dig automatically then that would be different.

You should be fine to remove the infill beneath the arch. Going forward,the chimney stack will need ventilating with an air brick,top & bottom.

Thanks, but I should have said, no Osmo hardwax oil suggestions please 🙂 I have tins of it at home along with Rubio Monocoat. For other applications yes, just not for this.

Yes, the arch is supporting the brickwork above, and yes, it needs supporting or there's a significant risk of collapse by the looks of it. Depending on what the plan for it is, you could put a concrete lintel in, but that won't look pretty if you want exposed brickwork. Also, watch out for a soot-fall; I doubt it was swept before it was blocked up.

Ambient temperature during the heating season is very different between the two countries. So therefore the SCoP for ASHP during the heating season is very different. Building and population density are also very different. You are comparing apples to oranges.

From quotes we got 2 years ago, and not used, i think it was about £1100/m2 for the basic shell.

Before you do that, do a sanity check and replace the flow switch with any manual switch, even a standard light switch will do, and confirm the pump turns on and off and runs properly with no excess voltage drop anywhere.

The last two conditions will require input from a consultant. You should be able to search the LPA website for examples of what has been prepared and submitted in the past.

Perhaps to fix a future garden studio issue you're putting a bit too much emphasis on this toilet/utility? Possibly to the detriment of the rest of the downstairs layout? With around 5.5m total width onto the garden, toilet/utility will take around a third of the space next to the garden, rather than the kitchen/dining etc having better access to outside and more light. You need to design for your own needs first but @ETC' first suggestion would probably appeal more to future buyers. A dedicated WC in your garden studio would probably be more usable too (if you're working there on a wet day and need the loo!)

or just buy a £300 laser and do the same. That kit isnt fitted on little diggers (sub 8 ton), you have to pay someone to CAD the whole thing, GPS setout etc etc massive upfront costs Real world of zero use to a single plot due to the cost. you could pay a man with a digger for a month and still have change.

That's the plan but I would rather wait a few weeks until we are done with heating so there is less pressure in case something goes wrong. From what I know of this motor is the main body is plastic. The front where the spindle emerges is a metal plate held on by I think by 4 screws. I suspect the front bearing might be easy to access, but I suspect the rear bearing is pressed into the plastic housing so may be harder to extract and replace without breaking something. Disappointing that unlike other motors there are no details yet emerging of anyone repairing one.

I suppose it depends how far you want to walk. What is more important to you - a toilet next to the garden or an open plan k/d/l? Let me know what you need and I’ll take a look.

Roll it up and take it to a cousin's shop in Tangier, for you, special price.

I bought my insulated pipes from these guys: https://ingoodnic.uk/25-25-90mm-2.html 32 + 32 /110mm Pre Insulated Heating Pipe I discussed it in this thread. Some more discussions about pipe options here:

Yes mate , it is called whipping and any good carpet shop should be able to sell you a piece of carpet and have it whipped for you , normally pay per Lm + the carpet, nice thing is you can then have exactly the size you want or shape .

Yes I’m a bloody legend. 😂

@Raine FYI - see https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-planning-application-statistics Look up table P153 and then your LPA - you should see the '% processed within 8 weeks or agreed time' number.

Be aware that many LA's and Approved Inspectors will require such a divergence from the Approved Document to be designed and argued for by a qualified Fire Engineer.

Anyone know if it’s acceptable to have a ladder to reach base of escape Velux if it’s at 1.7m instead of the 1.1m on first floor ?